Fan assembly and air shield apparatus

ABSTRACT

An air shield apparatus includes a bracket, a number of baffles, and a connecting member. The bracket includes two opposite side plates. Each baffle includes a blocking piece placed between the side plates of the bracket, and a shaft located at a first side of the blocking piece. The shafts are rotatably connected to the side plates of the bracket. The connecting member includes a connecting pole and a number of pivot portions pivotably connected to the baffles.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to fan assemblies, and particularly to a fan assembly with an air shield apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic devices, such as computers, use a heat dissipation system for dissipating heat generated by internal components, thus preventing the components from overheating. The heat dissipation system includes a number of fan assemblies. Each fan assembly includes a shell, a fan received in the shell, and a number of baffles. Two opposite sides of the shell define a plurality of holes. Two shafts protrude out from two opposite ends of each baffle. The shafts of the baffles are rotatably received in the holes. However, the baffles are easily swayed by air blown by the fans, which causes the baffles to hit each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a fan assembly, wherein the fan assembly includes two air shield apparatuses, and each air shield apparatus includes a plurality of baffles.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the baffles of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an assembled, isometric view of the fan assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a circled portion V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a right-side plan view of FIG. 4, showing the fan assembly in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a fan assembly 200, which includes a substantially rectangular shell 201, two fans 202 rotatably installed in the shell 201, and two air shield apparatuses 100.

The shell 201 includes a front plate 2011. The shell 201 defines two circular receiving spaces 2012. Two air outlets 2013 are defined in the front plate 2011 and communicate with the receiving spaces 2012. The fans 202 are rotatably received in the receiving spaces 2012.

Each air shield apparatus 100 includes a substantially rectangular bracket 10, a plurality of baffles 20, and a connecting member 30. The bracket 10 includes two opposite side plates 11, a top plate 12 perpendicularly connected between two top ends of the side plates 11, and a bottom plate 13 perpendicularly connected between two bottom ends of the side plates 11. The side plates 11, the top plate 12, and the bottom plate 13 cooperatively bound an installing space 15. Each side plate 11 defines a plurality of pivot holes 111 arrayed along a lengthwise direction of the side plate 11, communicating with the installing space 15.

FIG. 2 shows the connecting member 30. The connecting member 30 includes a connecting pole 31 and a plurality of pivot portions 32 perpendicularly protruding out from the connecting pole 31. The plurality of pivot portions 32 is arrayed along a lengthwise direction of the connecting pole 31. A distal end of each pivot portion 32 defines a pivot hole 33 extending along a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the connecting pole 31.

FIG. 3 shows one of the baffles 20. The baffle 20 includes a substantially rectangular blocking piece 21 and a shaft 22 located on a first side of the blocking piece 21. Two ends of the shaft 22 extend out of two opposite ends of the blocking piece 21. A middle of a second side of the blocking piece 21 opposite to the first side defines a cutout 23. A post perpendicularly protrudes from an inner surface of one side of the cutout 23, and parallel to a lengthwise direction of the shaft 22. A distal end of the post 231 and the blocking piece 21 cooperatively bound a space 232 communicating with the cutout 23.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show that in assembly of the fan assembly 200, each baffle 20 is received in the installing space 15 of a corresponding one of the brackets 10. The ends of the shaft 22 of each baffle 20 are rotatably inserted in two corresponding pivot holes 111 of the bracket 10. The pivot portions 32 of each connecting member 30 are inserted into the spaces 232 of the baffles 20 of a corresponding bracket 10, and the posts 231 are rotatably inserted in the corresponding pivot holes 33. Thus, the baffles 20 are pivotably connected between the side plates 11 of the corresponding bracket 10, and the connecting member 30 is pivotably connected to the baffles 20. The connecting member 30 can rotate the baffles 20 of each air shield apparatus 100 to a same angle. In assembly of the air shield apparatus 100 to the shell 201, the brackets 10 are mounted on the front plate 2011 of the shell 201, to allow the baffles 20 to cover the air outlets 2013 of the shell 201.

FIG. 6 shows that in use, as the fans 202 operate, airflow generated by the fans 202 push the blocking pieces 21 to rotate about the pivot holes 111 away from the front plate 2011. Thereby, the blocking pieces 21 slant relative to the front plate 2011 with a same angle a. The same angle a is a sharp angle. Therefore, the blocking pieces 21 are rotated to avoid the baffles 20 from hitting each other.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiment have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiment, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air shield apparatus, comprising: a bracket comprising two opposite side plates; a plurality of baffles each comprising a blocking piece placed between the side plates of the bracket, and a shaft located at a first side of the blocking piece, wherein the shafts are rotatably connected to the side plates of the bracket; and a connecting member comprising a connecting pole and a plurality of pivot portions pivotably connected to the baffles.
 2. The air shield apparatus of claim 1, wherein each pivot portions defines a pivot hole, each baffle further comprises a post, the posts of the baffles are inserted in the corresponding pivot holes.
 3. The air shield apparatus of claim 2, wherein a second side of each blocking piece opposite to the first side defines a cutout, the post protrudes from an inner surface of the cutout and parallel to a lengthwise direction of the shaft, the post and the blocking piece cooperatively bound a space communicating with the corresponding cutout, the pivot portions are received in the cutouts through the spaces.
 4. The air shield apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises a top plate and a bottom plate, the two opposite side plates, the top plate, and the bottom plate cooperatively bound an installing space, the baffles are received in the installing space, each of the side plates defines a plurality of pivot holes communicating with the installing space, two opposite ends of the shaft of each baffle are inserted in two corresponding pivot holes of the side plates.
 5. A fan assembly, comprising: a shell defining an air outlet; a fan received in the shell and aligning with the air outlet; and an air shield apparatus comprising a bracket mounted to the shell, a plurality of baffles pivotably mounted to the bracket to cover or uncover the air outlet, and a connecting member pivotably connected to the plurality of baffles; wherein the bracket comprises two opposite side plates, each baffle comprises a blocking piece placed between the side plates of the bracket, and a shaft located at a first side of the blocking piece, the shaft of each baffle is rotatably connected to the side plates of the bracket, the connecting member comprises a connecting pole and a plurality of pivot portions pivotably connected to the baffles.
 6. The fan assembly of claim 5, wherein each pivot portions defines a pivot hole, each baffle further comprises a post, the posts of the baffles are inserted in the corresponding pivot holes.
 7. The fan assembly of claim 6, wherein the second side of each blocking piece opposite to the first side defines a cutout, the post protrudes from an inner surface of the cutout and parallel to a lengthwise direction of the shaft, the post and the blocking piece cooperatively bound a space communicating with the corresponding cutout, the pivot portions are received in the cutouts through the spaces.
 8. The fan assembly of claim 5, wherein the bracket further comprises a top plate and a bottom plate, the two opposite side plates, the top plate, and the bottom plate cooperatively bound an installing space, the baffles are received in the installing space, each of the side plates defines a plurality pairs of pivot holes communicating with the installing space, two opposite ends of the shaft of each baffle are inserted in the corresponding pivot holes of the side plates. 